Chapter9


    L’sPOV


    IwasstillstaringatthedoorminutesafterJulianaleft.Iwasstillinshockatthesuddenchangeinmyfate.IthoughtIwasgoingtodieandnowI’mtakingabathandbeingofferedfood?


    IreallydidnotgetwhatwasgoingonbutIdecidedtoquicklytakemybath.It’sbeenalongtimesinceIhadthatprivilegeofbathinginabathroomandIdidnotwanttolosemychanceandsubsequentprivilegebymakingJulianaangry.


    Itookintheroomandwasamazedbyit.Ithadrgebedrgetomeatleast,therewasaclosetthatwasbarelyclosingwiththeamountsofclothesinit.TherewasavanitytablewithlotsofgirlythingsthatIdon’tknowwhattheirusesareonit.Theroomitselflookedreallyprettywithfloralpatternseverywhereandaneatlymadebed.


    Imadesurenot totouchanythingtillIgottothebathroom,lestIgetsomethingd*rtyandtheowneroftheroomgetsmadatme.Idon’twanttogetbeatenorsentbacktothedungeon.


    Islowlymademywaytothebathroomandalmostcriedatthesightofdifferentproductsforhairandskinthattookupasmallpartofthebathroom.I’veneverhadsuchluxury,Ionlyheardgirlsinmyformerpacktalkaboutit.


    Igentlyremovedmyclothesandceditonthecounter.Imadethemistakeoflookingatmyselfinthemirrorandfreshtearsmadetheirwaydownmycheeks.Noonewouldreallywantthiskindofb*dy.


    Myeyeslookedsunkenandthebagsunderthemlookedsobig.Myfacewasfullofdirt,myhairwasmattedtomyheadweirdlyandithurt


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    metolookatmyb*dy.TherewerebruisesallovermystomachandpartofmythighsandlegswhereIcouldsee,somewerepurple,somewerebrownandsomeck.


    IturnedmybackandchokedonmytearsasIsawmyback.Thereweregashesandscarsandmybackwascoveredinbruises


    Mycorbonewassoprominent,myribswerevisibleandIlookedsoskinnyandmalnourished.Idon’tmeGraysonnoroursecondchancemate.Iwouldn’twantthiskindofb*dyeither.


    Istoppedscrutinizingmyb*dyinthemirrorandwenttostandundertheshowerhead.Ittookmeawhiletofigureitout.Ialmostfrozetodeathwiththecoldwaterandbarelyavoidedscaldingmyselfwiththehotwater.


    Ifinallygotahangofitandset ittothetemperatureIlikedandstoodunderitforawhilefeelingmynewwoundsstinganddirtleavemyhairandb*dy


    IdidnotuseanythinginsidethebathroominfearofgettingpunishedwhentheownersawthatItouchedthem.Ilearntmylessonsthehardwayinmyoldpack.


    Iranmyhandsthroughmyhairandfeelingyearsofumteddirtslowlyleavemyhair.IfeltfreeandnewandcriedagainintheshowerduetohowIwasfeeling.IsuddenlywentfromalmostdyingtotakinganoverdueshowerandIdon’tknowwhattofeboutthat.


    IfeltJasminepurring inmyheadandsmiledabit.wedeservethisafterallwe’vebeenthrough.Afterfeelingabitclean,Iturnedofftheshowerandgentlyusedmyd*rtyclothestodrymyb*dymakingsureIdidnotleaveaspeckofdustorstainbehindinthebathroom.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ileftthebathroomcarefulnottosl*ponthefloorsincemyb*dywasstibitwet,myfeetespecially.Igotintotheroomandsaw thata


    gownhadbeenkeptonthebed.IwasconfusedbecauseIdidnottouchanythingbeforeleavingforthebathroom.


    Ipickedupthegownandadmiredit.Thisisthefirsttimein8yearsI’dbeholdinganythingasniceandbeautifsthegowninmyhand.Thegownwasmidnightckandseemedlikeitwouldreachmyknee.Itisasummergownandhaspinkdotsas beautifuldesignsonit.ItfeltsofttotouchandIwasn’tsureifsomeonelikemeshouldputonsomethingthatpretty.


    IrememberedthatIkeptJulianawaitinginthekitchenandquicklyputonthegown.Itreachedmykneelengthbuthunglooselyoffmyb*dy.Ifinallygettowearsomethingniceanditdoesn’tevenfitmeproperly,justmyluck.


    Iusedmyd*rtyclothestopatdrymyhairandusedmyhandstodetangleitabitalthoughitprovedtobeaproblem.Ifinallygaveuponitandleftitdownasitis.IfoldedtheclothesIhadonbeforeandhelditinmyhandsasIlefttheroom.


    IwalkedbackthedirectionJulianaandIcamefromandthearomaofdifferentfoodswaftedintomynoseasImovedclosermakingmy stomachgrumbleevenlouder.Iknowwehaven’teatenin3daysbutyouhavetostopdisgracingmelikethis,IthoughtinmyheadasIgotclosertothekitchen.


    Ienteredthekitchenandabout10pairsofeyendedonmemakingmeufortable.IfoundJuliana’seyeandshesmiledatmewarmlymakingmefeteaseabit.Iwasdshewasn’tmadItookmytimeandmentallyletoutasighofrelief.


    “She’sthenewgirl,Juliana?“,abeautifulredheadwithpoppinggreeneyesasked,lookingtowardsme.


    Ilookeddownatmyhandsandbarefeetandheldmybreathawaitingtheinsultsthatwouldfollow.Instead,Ifeltsomeonenearmeand


    lookeduptoseetheredheadstandingclosetome.Shesmelledlikestrawberriesandherskinglowed.


    “Hi,I’mTracy.JulianatoldmeyournameisL,andyou’llbeworkingwithusnow.I’llbeyourroommateandyournewbestfriend,it’snicetomeetyou,chica“,shesaidrapidlyandwithsomuchenergy,Icouldnotrespondforafewmoments.


    “Nicetomeetyoutoo,Tracy“,Isaidtimidlyandwepulledintoahug.Istiffenedanddidnotknowhowtorespondback,shenoticedandpulledbackapologizingtome.


    “I’msosorry,L.I’mjustexcitedtohaveanewfriend.PeoplesayIhavealotofenergyandthatItalktoomuchsotheytendtoavoidme.Ifeellikewe’regoingtogetalongbecauseyou’renotmuchofatalkerandbecauseIlovethecolorofyourhairandtheblueofyoureyes.Didyoudyeyourhairorthat’sthenaturalcolor?Ifit’snatural,then that’llbesocool,we’llbetheunmatchedduowithmyredhairandyouralmostwhitehair.I’mramblingagain,aren’tI?“,shefiredoffrapidlyonlystoppingtocatchherbreathwhenshesawthatIwasinaweofhowshe’stalkingrapidlyandthefactthatotherpeopleinthekitchenwerughingather.


    ughedlightlyandsheppedherhandsinexcitement,slightlybouncingonherheels.Ilikeheralready.


    IthinkImighthaveescapedthehardlifeinMoonlitpackafterall.IguessI’mnotdyinganytimesoonaslongasIavoidmymatewhosenameIdon’tevenknow.


    IgotpulledbackintorealitywhenTracyaskedmeifIhadeaten.Mystomachtookonthatmomentto makeitselfknownandeveryonughedatthat.f**kwerewolfhearing.IwasledtothecounterbyTracyasJulianadishedfoodintotesforme.


    IguessI’mfreeafterall.